Tama Co. Court News

July 4, 2014

Dismissal of an assault causing bodily injury charge against Robert McFatridge is being sought in Tama County District Court. McFatridge, 47, Tama, was cited in connection with an incident involving a student at the Iowa Juvenile Home / State Training School for Girls in Toledo where he worked as a youth service worker and for which he was subsequently fired. A hearing concerning the dismissal action which had been set for July 2 will now be on July 11 at the Tama County Courthouse in Toledo. McFatridge, through his attorney, Melissa Nine, asks for the charge to be dismissed because of an error on the part of the County Attorney's Office. In court documents Assistant County Attorney Patrick McMullen sought to change the date of the alleged assault from Feb. 4, 2013 to Nov. 4, 2012. He attributes this to a clerical error. McFatridge's defense claims the mix-up in dates does not allow for preparation of an adequate defense. In addition, it is claimed his actions were to prevent the student from harming herself further and part of his job was to restrain students. The defense also states there are three surveillance videos which the prosecution had provided all showing interactions between McFatridge and the student. It is alleged the student testified in a deposition to incidents in the Oct. 23, 2013 video not the Nov. 4 video which the state now says is the basis for the case. The Des Moines Register has reported it has sought access to at least one of the videos under the Freedom of Information Act. The newspaper says it has been denied because the state contends the video is part of the student's medical record and should be held confidential. However, at least one security video of the incident was posted to the Register website and is in its archives.

Tama County Magistrate Court

Before Magistrate Richard Vander Mey: Guilty pleas, fines and court costs, agency filing charge(s)- Pfiefter Paige Brown, 22, Tama, simple assault $148, violation of no contact order $66 court costs only, violation of no contact order $148 and two days in ail with credit for two days served concurrent on the three charges. Tama Police and Meskwaki Nation Tribal Police